SUN PHOTO BY BILL JONESWreaths decorate veterans' grave sites during Sarasota National Cemetery's Wreaths Across America celebration, which drew more than 2,000 people to pay tribute to the nation’s heroes.

SUN PHOTO BY BILL JONESYoungsters with the Charlotte Premier soccer team of the Charlotte County Soccer Federation stand with wreaths they are about to lay on veterans' graves Saturday at Sarasota National Cemetery's annual Wreaths Across America event.

SUN PHOTO BY BILL JONESJulie and her son Joey Alejos of Bradenton placed a wreath on a veteran's grave Saturday at Sarasota National Cemetery, as their respect of "the ultimate sacrifice" paid by soldiers lost in war.

SUN PHOTO BY BILL JONESCadets from the Sarasota Military Academy stand at attention during a display of the colors ceremony during the event.

By BILL JONES

Sun Correspondent

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SARASOTA — A record crowd of more than 2,000 people turned out Saturday to honor Southwest Florida’s war heroes by placing Christmas wreaths on 6,500 graves at Sarasota National Cemetery.

On a beautiful, breezy morning, throngs of volunteers, from toddlers to the wheelchair-bound, surged through the almost endless, stark rows of white headstones, placing the wreaths as part of Wreaths Across America, a national effort to honor the heroes who have served our nation.

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